Key holder



Feb. 2, 1937.- J, G, u JR 2,069,317

' KEY HOLDER Filed Nov. 4, 1935 l lllll ll Arroe/vzv Patented Feb. 2, 1937 KEY HOLDER Joseph G. Lipic, In, St. Louis, Mo. Application November 4, 1935, Serial No. 48,103

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to key holders, and more specifically to an improved key holder which includes as a part thereof means for indexing a particular key of a plurality of keys held in assembled relation by the improved keyholder, so that said particular key may be readily selected from the assembled keys for use, the predominant object of the invention being to provide an improved key holder of this type which is capable of performing its intended function in a highly-enicient manner.

As is generally known, many persons carry in their possession groups of keys and frequently in such a case one of these keys is considered more important than the others because of the frequent use to which it is put, or for other reasons. This more important key may be an automobile key, a house door key, or a key to a drawer, locker, etc. It is considered quite an inconvenience and annoyance for a person to be compelled to search through a group of keys for a desired key, and this is particularly true when such search must be gone through repeatedly during the day. Also such search for a particular key is of increased inconvenience and annoyance when it must bemade in darkness, as in the case of an automobile key or door key.

The improved key holder disclosed herein includes means for indexing an important or frequently used key so that it may be readily selected from agroup of keys retained by the key holder without the necessity of searching through the group of keys for the desired key. Thus the inconvenience and annoyance heretofore encountered in frequently selecting a particular key from a group of keys carried by a person are entirely eliminated, and because the selection may be made entirely by touch such selection may be made in darkness as readily as in daylight.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved key holder, with keys associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing the indexing element of the improved key holder in section.

Fig. 3 is. a view showing the key holder illustrated in Fig. 2 in plan.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a fragment of the improved key holder.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

In the drawing, wherein are shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, two embodiments of the invention, A designates the improved key holder generally. The key holder A includes an indexin: element I which receives an important or frequently used key, such a key being designated by the reference character K in the drawing.

The particular indexing element shown in the drawing comprises an elongated section of eelluloid or other suitable material which is of slightly 5 greater. length than the average key, the indexing element illustrated being substantially round in cross-section, although obviously the indexing element may be of any desired cross-sectional shape. The indexing element I has formed there- 10 in a slot 2 that extends longitudinally thereof, which slot is open at one end of the indexing element and extends entirely through said element transversely thereof from one to the opposite side at which the slot is open, as shown at 2 in Fig. 2,

but at the opposite side of the element l the slot continues longitudinally of said element to a point just short of the end of said element l which is located opposite to the end thereof at which the slot 2 is open, as indicated at 2 in Fig. 2. Thus 25 a slot is provided in the indexing element which extends entirely through a portion of the element transversely thereof, so thatin this portion of the element-the slot is open at an end of the element and at opposite sides thereof, while in another portion of the indexing element the slot extends only a part of the transverse distance through the element, so that in this portion of the element the slot is open only atone side of the element.

Formed in the portions of the indexing element I located at opposite sides of the slot 2, at points located inwardly a slight distance from the end of said element at which the slot 2 is open, is a pair of alined openings 3. These alined openings receive a 'pivotmember 4 which is extended across the slot 2 and passesthrough an aperture K formed in the key K so as to pivotally attach said key to said indexing element, the

portion of the key in which the opening is formed 45 alined openings 3 with the head 5' thereof con-- 50 tacting with the outer face of the indexing element I at one side thereof. Associated with the sleeve 5 is a screw 6 which is provided with a head 6', the screw-threaded shank of said screw being threaded into the sleeve 5 and its head being in contact with the outer face of the indexing element at a point opposite to the location of the head 5' of the sleeve 5.

Thus the elements 5 and 6 of the pivot memher 4 may draw the portions of the indexing element l at opposite sides of the slot 2 into close frictional contact with the key K, so that the key is supported by the indexing element for controlled pivotal movement. Therefore the key K may be moved to the position shown in Fig. l, where it is received and enclosed in the slot 2 in the manner of a blade in the handle portion of a pocket knife, or said key may be moved about the pivot member 4 to the extended position shown in Fig. 2, when it is desired to use'the key.

Formed through the indexing element l, at a point adjacent to the end thereof opposite to the end of said element at which the slot 2 is open, is a transverse opening 1. Extended through this opening is a flexible key-retaining element 8, which in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 constitutes a section of chain whose ends are connected together at 8'. This section of chain is extended through the openings K formed through the keys K, said keys K being a group of assembled keys of which the key K is a part. Thus the keys K are maintained in assembled relation with the key K through the instrumentality of the indexing element I, the entire assemblage of keys being connected together in.- such flexible relation as to be capable o1 being conveniently handled and carried about in a pocket or purse.

In the use of the improved key holder disclosed herein a person may readily and conveniently locate his frequently used key .even in darkness by merely grasping the indexing element l, and by an operation as simple as opening a blade of a pocket knife the key may be placed in position for use. Thus the annoyance and inconvenience of repeatedly searching through a group of keys for a frequently used key are entirely eliminated in the use of the improved key holder.

Instead of employing the flexible chain 8 for retaining the secondary keys (designated K in Figs. 1, 2, and 3), a split key ring 9 of ordinary construction may be employed for this purpose as shown in Fig. 5. As shown in this view, the split key ring 9 is extended through the opening 1 and the secondary keys 40 are received by said split key ring in the usual manner.

I claim:

1. A key holder comprising an element having a slot formed longitudinally therein which is open at one end of the element and at opposite sides thereof, said element being of solid formation at its other end, a pivot member extended across said slot at the end of the element where the slot is open and adapted to pivotally attach a key to the element so that said key may be swung about said pivot member to a position within the slot or to a position extended outward- 1y beyond the end of the element where said slot is open, and means connected to said element at its solid end for receiving one or more other keys.

2. A key holder comprising an element having a slot formed longitudinally therein which is open at one end of the element and at opposite sides thereof, said element being of solid formation at its other end and said slot being longer at one side of the element than at the opposite side thereof, a pivot member extended across said slot at the end of the element where the slot is open and adapted to pivotally attach a key tothe element so that said key may be swung about said pivot member to a position within the slot or to a position extended outwardlybeyond the end of the element where'sald slot is open, and means connected to said element at its solid end for receiving one or more other keys.

. JOSEPH G. LIPIC, JR. 

